Moths

Please send moth records to David Allen at dja153@tiscali.co.uk

The ANNUAL MEETING AND EXHIBITION will once again be at the Venture Centre in Lawford on SATURDAY MARCH 21st 2009 (10:30 - 5:30).

BEAUTIFUL SNOUT Colchester (David Barnard) - FIRST FOR ESSEX
The weather looked fine on the evening of Tuesday 15 July 2008, so I decided that it would be a good opportunity to run my moth trap after a long spell of indifferent weather.

My trap is a Skinner type operating with a 15w actinic tube and located on the lawn of my average sized suburban garden. The lamp was switched on at 9.30pm and operated until 1.30am on Wednesday 16th with visual inspection until 11.00pm. Garden location is Alresford, near Colchester.

An early morning inspection on 16 July revealed 11 species of macro moths plus several species of micros – a typical ‘catch’ for my location. However, one moth was not immediately identified and this was potted for checking. My first thoughts were that it was one of the larger pyralids but when I checked British Pyralid Moths (Goater) I still could not identify it. I then checked with the Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (Townsend & Waring) and identified it as a fairly worn specimen of a female Beautiful Snout Hypena crassalis (Bradley 2476). This seemed rather strange as its range does not include East Anglia and its larval food plant is Bilberry.

On the evening of 16 July a ‘Mothing session’ had been arranged for local EMG members and identification was confirmed by Joe Firmin and David Allen. Checking with Moths of Essex (Goodey) indicated that this could be the first confirmed record of this moth for the County. As it was a female it was decided to try to obtain some eggs and it was boxed with some heather (alternative food plant). The moth had obviously been on the wing for some time and unfortunately died on 18 July. Some digital images were taken for record purposes.
David Barnard 19.07.2008

PRAYS PEREGRINE 14 September Ilford (Kathleen Black) – FIRST FOR ESSEX
This is a significant record. You may already know that this was a completely unknown species only a couple of years ago. It turned up in a light trap at Hampstead Heath and subsequently in three or four other London light traps. After a lot of detective work it was eventually described as a completely new species by David Agassiz (who has seen the photo and agrees with the ID). Its origins are unknown, but it is probably an importation with produce from the Indian sub-continent, where the genus Prays is more common. However, it is now turning up in several new places around London - it would be interesting to know from the Asian community if there has been any significant change in food imports or whatever in recent years. We have no idea what it feeds on.
Colin Plant.

Death’s Head Hawkmoth at Rayne near Braintree
On the 11th of September I was invited by Paul Dawson from Rayne near Braintree to photograph a death's head hawkmoth caterpillar found by his sister Amanda Chittock on some jasmine at her home. An article on it appeared in the Daily Telegraph the following Friday (along with an out of focus picture taken by their freelance photographer) and another piece was written in the Eastern Daily Times on the same day. It made two other nationals and nearly made the local TV until the caterpillar decided to dig a hole and pupate. Very antisocial. Thanks to advice from Brian and Joe that I passed on to Paul, the moth emerged around the 12th November when it successfully hid in the house until it was found on a curtain on the 17th. I came to see it and even got interviewed by BBC Radio Essex. However I was disappointed that the moth refused to stop flapping its wings for the entire time I was there - hence an unsatisfactory picture. The lady from BBC Essex was able to take her picture when the moth had just come out of the fridge, hence her photo with a far cheaper camera was very good (typical). All my life I have wanted to see this moth and obtain a really good photograph of it. Hopefully there will be another.
David Allen